Video Games, Opinions, Thoughts, & Tomfoolery

Category: Podcasts

Miguel makes a return to the show along with Brad and Jeff. For some reason it sounds like we recorded this outside, but we didn’t. We give our (late) opinions on the Infinity Ward drama, GDC so far, and talk a bit about hot tamales, both the candy and the meat-filled corn food thingy. Enjoy!

This week we talk about glitches and bugs in games and share some of our personal experiences with them. Also we talk about the rumor of Nintendo’s possible new hardware announcement coming soon. Enjoy!

After (another) long hiatus the podcast is back. This time we’re talking a little bit of news, a lot of Mass Effect, and where Western RPGs have taken over where JRPGs have failed. My voice is a little hashed from bronchitis, but it’s not too bad (in case anybody actually noticed or cared). One thing you might notice is that we make the show more conversational and far less structured than it has ever been. If you do or don’t like the change, please let me know. As always, feedback is appreciated either in the comments section or by emailing me at jar155 [at] gmail dot com.

Here’s the latest episode of the Stupid Gamer podcast. I go into a discussion about extreme content in video games, and thanks to your responses it doesn’t completely suck. Yep, I’m making some progress. Enjoy the show.

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On the next Stupid Gamer podcast I will be discussing extreme (violent, sexual, language) content. In light of the “No Russian” level in Moder Warfare 2, the upcoming Heavy Rain on the PS3, and years of GTA controversy, I felt like it would be a good time to discuss how the gaming industry should be handling this sort of content and how the industry can be more proactive in dealing with it. Here are a few questions I’d like some feedback to. You can pick and choose one or two to answer or answer them all. I’ll read some responses on the air.

Is violent/sexual/language content a problem in gaming?

Is the ESRB rating system adequate? Does it need to be changed/replaced?

What can developers and publishers do better to educate parents?

Do console manufacturers need to play a role in content control?

Does mature content offend you in any way?

How does mature content in gaming compare to film? Should it be regulated differently?

If you were a parent (or are one), how will you approach mature content with your kids?

Does extreme content add to the enjoyment of a game for you, or is that completely based on context?

God of War III will have crazy amounts of blood, brutal kills, and some sexual content.

Send your responses to me at jar155 [at] gmail.com and I’ll use them in the next show. You can also comment here on the blog, but the email is a surefire be that I’ll see it before going on the air.

My full-time job is doing search engine optimization and pay-per-click marketing. Due to the nature of this work, I spend a lot of time banging away at my keyboard writing. As I write, I get to listen to music and podcasts throughout the day, and having 8-10 hours of this daily lets me check out the best gaming has to offer in regards to podcasts. I currently subscribe to around 20 different podcasts (not all gaming related), and here are my favorites in no specific order. I know I’ve done this before, but I feel it’s worth it as these shows evolve and change over time.

Robert Ashley’s A Life Well Wasted – This podcast is incredible. It’s not a weekly show, but that’s because every episode is highly produced, well-researched, and delves deep into its subject matter. Just today I was finishing up an episode while driving back from my soccer game and I ended up finishing the last 15 minutes in my driveway because I didn’t want to stop listening to go inside. Anybody who likes to think about games on a deeper level than just how cool graphics are or what the NPDs might mean in the console wars, check this podcast out. Also, the music provided by Robert’s band I Come to Shanghai makes for an amazing moment or two each show. Episode two has an electronic beat layed over the sounds of quarters dropping into pinball quarter mechanisms, pop bumpers, and and ball ejects. Robert also makes great use of silence much like a painter leverages white space on a canvas. This is as close to art as you’re going to find in a gaming podcast.

Listen Up – 1up’s podcast hosted by Garnett Lee and with regulars John Davison, David Ellis, and Sam Kennedy is one of the most passionate podcasts out there. These guys do well to hit all aspects of gaming from PC, handhelds, consoles, and even iPhone and Android. Always a little irreverent but respectful, Listen Up does a good job running with the torch after 1up Yours met its end with the death of EGM and the departure of old favorites like Shane Bettenhausen, Luke Smith, and Mark McDonald. This podcast is a weekly podcast and is released each Friday.

The CAGCast – CheapyD and Wombat put out this weekly show and they have a great chemistry going. With Wombat in New York and Cheapy in Tokyo, each co-host brings a different perspective on the industry to the converstation. With these two guys you’ll never be questioning whethr or not they’re being fully upfront about their opinions or beliefs.

Giant Bombcast – Probably the best podcast out there that acts as the “official” podcast of a gaming news and editorial outlet, Brad, Jeff, Ryan, and Vinny are a hilarious group of journalists that use their time behind the mic to delve deeper into the week’s bigger stories and to vent about what’s been bugging them. This podcast comes out on Tuesdays and is definitely one of the first you should check out if you want an idea of what gaming podcasts have to offer.

Under the Radar – Blake, Matthew, and Steve do a weekly show where they “focus on the games that the other guys ignore.” This is an entertaining podcast full of well-informed and witty conversation. This is one of the shorter podcasts out there, so it should fit into anybody’s schedule. This is also a great podcast if you’re looking to get a chance to interact with the hosts via email or Twitter as they’re really responsive to feedback.

The Penny Arcade Podcast – From a pure comedy standpoint no other podcast in gaming measures up. This show is hilarious, but unfortunately they’re released very sporadically and it’s been quite some time since their last effort. Still, this is a show worth subscribing to so you can grab it when one does drop.

Co-Op – The spiritual successor to the amazing 1up Show, Co-Op is a weekly video podcast that runs about 30 minutes long, so it’s basically a full blown TV show that happens to be distributed for free over the Internet. This show integrates editorial, media, and humor through conversational pieces and skits that are well-written, clever, and interesting. Check these guys out at http://www.Area5.TV.

Other Podcasts Worth Listening To:

The Geek Box

IGN’s 3 Red Lights (Xbox Team)

IGN’s Podcast Beyond (Sony Team)

X-Play Daily Video Podcast

If you know of any other great shows out there, let me know about them.

Recorded last night, here’s episode #35 of the Stupid Gamer Podcast. This episode I fly solo and keep it short, but do my best to catch everybody up on things and explain why the long gap between shows. Some of the topics include:

There’s a newish podcast out there put on by Blake Leftwich of Salute Games, Matthew Taylor of The Robot Gamer, and Stephen Smith of Kombo.com and Video Game Collector. The show focuses on the guys discussing games that have slipped through through to release without getting much buzz or attention. As they do this, they often bring up other issues and discuss what they’ve been playing recently. This is one of my favorite gaming podcasts because these guys are exactly what you’d figure a hardcore gamer should be. No, they’re not Dew slammin’ loudmouths that run out and grab every first person shooter, Madden, and open world hyperviolent sandbox game. They’re real hardcore gamers that know gaming’s past, it’s current trends, and can properly identify positives and negatives of a game’s gameplay, artistic direction, and technical aspects.

Give the show a listen. The show can be found on iTunes or you can subscribe directly to the feed at www.salutegames.com/utr.xml. And for what it’s worth, The Stupid Gamer Podcast is coming back too, hopefully this week!

That’s right, Stephen makes his return to the podcast this week. Miguel was out goofing around (catching the Watchmen movie), so it’s just us two. Hopefully next week will finally put all three of us together on the show once more. Here are the notes:

Welcome back Stephen!

Snacks

GDC News

Tangents!

Motion control on the 360/PS3–will it work?

What we’ve been playing

What’s coming up on the blog

Bubble Bobble theme to close show

Apparently the duo pictured above was a bit more important to Miguel than joining Stephen and I on the podcast, but it’s okay. We hope you enjoy the show. I have met the man in person, and I feel safe saying that Stephen’s legs are just as nice as those pictured above (you decide who I’m referring to).